What is the best bushcrafting dog?

[Mick w.]

Anyone take their dog out sleeping under a tarp? I've got a collie and I worry about him getting cold when sleeping outside, on the ground. The odd time we've been out under a tarp (as opposed to in a tent - no probs there) he's had a dog coat on at night, and slept on my fleece jacket or something. But, how do people look after their dog at night in colder times of the year?

 

[Niels]

Your dog has a fur so I wouldn't worry too much, mine even falls asleep in the snow, only to wake up covered in a little snow. I've had mine in my tent to but he snores like crazy and it is quite annoying.

 

[Mick w.]

I've seen programmes where huskies just curl up in the snow, didn't know if my farmboy would be ok with it, even though he has quite a thick coat... maybe just some insulation underneath him?

 

[Elen Sentier]

The best bushcrafters dog is like the best bushcrafters knife,
It’s the one you have with you at the time

Absolutely right .

for interest, we had black alsations when I could walk a dog, and before the hip problems got so bad with the dreadful slope-back breeding. They were wonderful as far as I'm concerned, fitted with me like gloves and the next best thing to being able to live with a wolf. They caught dinner, guarded me, played roughhouse gorgeously, could stalk well, would sit/stay outside a supermarket for ages without being tied up or moving an inch, were utterly obedient, had great sense of humour, could be quieter than mice, didn't chase other animals or people unless i asked them to. As you can see ... I adored them

 

[Niels]

Just give it a try, if he gets to cold you'll be able to tell I'm sure! And some insulation under him can help but not all dogs want to lay on it. My dog had a blanket in his crate which he always quickly whiped aside in favor of laying on the cool plastic

 

[Elen Sentier]

One that can use a bow drill to get an ember........

Damnit! Woofah (my last black alsation) couldn't do that ... everything else

 

[Elen Sentier]

If I ever have a dog again it's likely to be a lurcher, or two, I do like them and they seem to be well trainable. Can't abide labs! Or any of the "doodles". If I could have another wolf-dog who wasn't going to get some frightful hip problem at age 4 I would though, I just adore wolf-dogs, and my previous ones did all a lurcher would do, ultra-trainable and brilliant guards as well.

 

[Elen Sentier]

He sounds gorgeous ... and is one I'd like along with the lurcher ... if I ever have dogs again.

 

[Elen Sentier]

Wolves are grey. I used to own one. I still miss her.

Not quite always. The alpha male in the Cairngorms timber wolf pack (10 yrs ago) was white and they had 2 black females. I can't find my pix of them from when we were up there ... today's job, find wolves! All gone now but they've begun again with european wolves.

 

[Robbi]

Hi Elen, how about this for a Lurcher, she's now 2.5 years old and coming on really well, and would certainly out run any GS

and one of her freshly shaved !

 

[Chiseller]

And another .....he's just identifying some fungi

 

[Niels]

Speaking of fungi, do any of your dogs ever try to eat them? Mine never eats one and that says a lot because he will eat everything else that fits in it's mouth. He doesn't even sniff them! I wonder if dogs naturally know that fungi are poisonous??

 

[Chiseller]

Same with mine. He will eat mushroom attached to a pizza slice if you leave it on the coffee table long enough lol

 

[Chiseller]

Anyone take their dog out sleeping under a tarp? I've got a collie and I worry about him getting cold when sleeping outside, on the ground. The odd time we've been out under a tarp (as opposed to in a tent - no probs there) he's had a dog coat on at night, and slept on my fleece jacket or something. But, how do people look after their dog at night in colder times of the year?

My dog has short hair, but he's slept under hammocks n tarps a few times just curled on the floor. Ive put my nanok jkt (easier to clean than my swanni lol) down for him if its cold....but as the old saying goes about horses n water

If I'm out with the family, he will sleep under my youngests hammock. Not much of a guard dog at home.....but once everyone is settled in at camp and asleep, he will let strangers know that he's watching .

 

[Robbi]

he looks a muscley (sp?) mutt Chis.

 

[Niels]

Same with mine. He will eat mushroom attached to a pizza slice if you leave it on the coffee table long enough lol

Ours too, no matter how well you raise them when you're not there and they have the chance...

 

[Chiseller]

he looks a muscley (sp?) mutt Chis.

Summer fat, I wish the missus could recognise my muscle hidden beneath lol.

When were really active, he tones up really well. He threw more racy than his dad .....

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[santaman2000]

Not quite always. The alpha male in the Cairngorms timber wolf pack (10 yrs ago) was white and they had 2 black females. I can't find my pix of them from when we were up there ... today's job, find wolves! All gone now but they've begun again with european wolves.

There's several species of wolves with differing color tendencies. The Southern red Wolf was named obviously because it's a red species. The Arctic Timber wolf is usually grey although as you say black is beginninig to show up occassionally. However most biologists believe it's through interbreeding with domestic dogs (although since the trait is persisting it obviously must be good for their survival rates) White is an anomally and is rarely (if ever) passed down as it hurts their survival chances.

 

[santaman2000]

I've seen programmes where huskies just curl up in the snow, didn't know if my farmboy would be ok with it, even though he has quite a thick coat... maybe just some insulation underneath him?

With a collie (as you say you have) I'd be more concerned about her overheating in the Summer than getting cold in winter.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

There's several species of wolves with differing color tendencies. The Southern red Wolf was named obviously because it's a red species. The Arctic Timber wolf is usually grey although as you say black is beginninig to show up occassionally. However most biologists believe it's through interbreeding with domestic dogs (although since the trait is persisting it obviously must be good for their survival rates) White is an anomally and is rarely (if ever) passed down as it hurts their survival chances.

Officially there are in fact only 2 species of wolf canis Lupus ( grey wolf) & canis rufus (red wolf) although some researchers claim that the Eastern timber wolf (canis lupus lycaon) is ia seperate species but the jury's still out on that one. The variants such as , timber, arctic, Iberien etc. are sub-species.
Wolves range in colour from white through to coal black passing by greys, yellows,tans, browns,golds, reds & mixtures of all of them, even pie wolves have been seen.. Arctic wolves (canis lupus arctos) are usually white, Canadian & Alaskan wolves are usually grey or black & European wolves are mostly greyish brown..
Unlike dogs, a wolf's coat is rarely uniform in colour.

Before the arrival of man, wolves were the most wide spread mammal, occupying most of the northern hemisphere. Helas, quite a few other sub-species are now extinct.